portcullis

English

Alternative forms

Etymology

From Middle English portcolyse, from Old French porte colëice, from porte (“door”) + feminine of colëiz (“sliding”), ultimately from Latin colāre.

Pronunciation

  • (UK) IPA(key): /pɔːtˈkʌl.ɪs/
  • Audio (Southern England):(file)
  • (US) IPA(key): /pɔɹtˈkʌl.ɪs/

Noun

portcullis (plural portcullises or portcullisses or (rare) portculli or (rare) portscullis)

  1. A gate in the form of a grating which is lowered into place at the gateway of a castle, a fort, etc.
    Synonym: (obsolete, rare) cataract
  2. (historical) An old English coin from the reign of Elizabeth I, minted for the use of the East India Company, and bearing the picture of a portcullis on the reverse.

Translations

Verb

portcullis (third-person singular simple present portcullises or portcullisses, present participle portcullising or portcullissing, simple past and past participle portcullised or portcullissed)

  1. (usually passive) To obstruct with, or as with, a portcullis; to shut; to bar.

References

Further reading

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